Every year, like clockwork, we hit reset. January 1 arrives and suddenly we believe this is the moment . The fresh start. The perfect time to redesign our lives, commit to a brand-new version of ourselves, and finally follow through on the promises we made last January 1… that didn’t quite stick. We set resolutions full of hope and determination — to sleep more, eat better, exercise consistently, meditate daily, keep up with charting, stop taking work home, finally say “no” m

There’s something about this time of year that feels… full.Not just our schedules — but our homes, our inboxes, our brains. The holiday season brings joy, connection, celebration — and also gifts, decorations, travel logistics, end-of-year deadlines, school events, performance reviews, and a sprinkling of “Oh no… did I forget ___?” every few hours. It’s a lot. Clutter is more than a mess - its pressure And if you’re a healthcare professional, the season doesn’t come with time

The end of the year comes with a certain script.We’re told it’s the season of joy, celebration, gratitude, and togetherness. Streets light up, holiday music plays everywhere you go, and every commercial insists you should be happily baking cookies or exchanging perfectly wrapped gifts with smiling family members. But if you work in healthcare, you know there’s another version of this season—one that rarely makes it into the holiday movies. It’s the time of year when stress le

When I decided to change jobs, I heard the same refrain over and over again: “But that doesn’t sound like you.”“Are you sure this will make you happy?”“You’ve been there so long—why leave now?” People couldn’t understand why I was willing to walk away from a role I had held for years. To them, the job title, the institution, and the stability defined who I was. But what they didn’t see was that I  had changed—quietly, slowly, and steadily—while trying my best to stay loyal to

A recent family trip reminded me that even the best-laid plans—and the clearest visions—don’t always go the way we expect. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need. Every year, my daughters, my mom’s best friend (who has long since become an honorary grandmother in our family), and I take an annual amusement park trip. Over the years, we’ve alternated between some of the major theme parks in Florida, collecting memories and laughter along the way. This year started like the

I was recently listening to a new song where the singer describes how this unnamed person’s obsession with her is “actually romantic”—that she views the attention as flattering. It’s written about a broken relationship, which migh be friendship or romantic. As I listened, I couldn’t help hearing it differently. The theme of being seen, judged, and defined by someone else’s fixation felt strikingly familiar to another kind of relationship: the ones we navigate at work. In medi

Why I Chose This Month to Launch The Hidden Load Podcast Some months hold stories we’d rather not revisit. They carry memories that linger — of loss, of exhaustion, of moments that quietly reshaped who we are.For years, October was that month for me. As someone who helps others move from burnout to balance, I spend a lot of time talking about what we carry — the visible responsibilities and the invisible emotional weight beneath them. But even those of us who teach these tool

One of the questions I get asked every time I take a new role is, “How is this going to impact your patient care?” More specifically: “How will you feel about seeing fewer patients?”“Are you going to miss patient care?” And honestly, those are great questions. They come from a place of understanding just how central patient care is to why many of us entered medicine in the first place. It’s where we find connection, meaning, and the daily sense that what we do matters. So whe

This week, I’m gathered with family physicians from across the country. We’re here to talk about the needs of our specialty, to share...

Last week was one of those weeks that reminded me just how chaotic life can get. My husband was traveling, which meant it was just me and...

One of the hardest things I’ve had to manage — as both a physician and as a mom — is control. More specifically, learning how to let go...

Sometimes life lines up in a way that feels almost too good to be true. Flights run on time, connections are seamless, and an idea that...

I can’t count the number of times someone has looked at my calendar and asked, half in awe and half in concern: “But why are you doing so...

Have you ever been watching an old TV show and suddenly spotted a now-famous actor making a tiny appearance as a background character?...

Have you ever noticed that when your mind feels scattered, your environment often reflects that chaos back to you? Papers pile up on the...

As a busy physician, I talk a lot about what I do at work to make life more fulfilling and joyful. But the truth is, my happiness isn’t...

When “Go With the Flow” Becomes the Most Important Item on the Itinerary We’d been planning this family trip for over three years. My...

I used to be afraid of vacation. Not in the “I don’t want to go anywhere” kind of way—but in the “this is way more stressful than it’s...

As my birthday approaches, I find myself in that familiar place—reflecting on the year behind me and looking toward what’s ahead....

Honoring Self-Compassion Day as healthcare professionals in uncertain times In medicine, we’re often taught to push through. To...